Early Learning in Cities

Pre-K in American Cities, finds a growing number of large US cities enacting new local funding streams to establish and support Pre-K, yet many programs fail to meet minimum quality standards or serve only a small percentage of eligible children.

Over the last several years, a growing number of cities have invested in early care and education for 3- and 4-year-old children, known as “preschool.” This paper aims to aid cities in planning preschool programs by outlining a range of factors to consider.  We largely do not make recommendations, but rather try to identify a range of options so communities can choose a course that best meets their needs.

This toolkit was developed to help cities and local school districts assess the quality of their public pre-K programs. It translates evidence and best practices into a set of items to appraise the design and implementation of the pre-K program. The information gathered through this guide can be useful to advocates, city leaders, and district or local program administrators in building a common understanding of the strengths, weaknesses, and priorities of a city’s pre-K program. Local leaders should use this guide as part of a collaborative conversation across community stakeholders.